Animal Purchases

Ordering Animals for use in Research

The purchase and use of live, vertebrate animals for research at educational institutions is subject to state and federal regulation. Anyone wishing to use or house live vertebrate animals at the University at Albany for research or testing must have that use reviewed and approved by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) prior to order or use.

The IACUC reviews all classroom and research projects, sponsored or unsponsored, involving the use of living non-human vertebrate animals, or animals killed for the purposes of the study, to ensure the humane care and use of animals.

After IACUC approval, animals may be ordered by sending a Purchase Requisition to the Laboratory Animal Resources (LAR) for approval. Investigators may not place orders directly with a vendor, nor will purchases be executed by the Office of State Funded Purchasing and Contracts without prior approval from the Laboratory Animal Resources.

The Purchase Requisition must include: the number of animals to be ordered, the species, specific requirements such as age, sex, timed pregnancies, etc., preferred vendor, requested delivery date, the account number to be charged, and the approved protocol number. The Laboratory Animal Resources will review the requisition to ensure that an approved protocol exists, and that the number of animals does not exceed the approved number. Once the request is reviewed and approved, the Requisition will be forwarded to the Office of State Funded Purchasing and Contracts for execution of the purchase.

Note: Live, vertebrate animals may not be purchased using a Purchasing Card. To do so is in violation of University Policy and federal regulations. For more information, contact the Laboratory Animal Resources; Facility 591-8817.